From May through October 2010, the Bavarian village of Oberammergau will be staging its world-famous Passion Play for the 41st time. A milestone indeed, but all the more so when you consider that the tradition dates all the way back to 1634.

So you were hoping to finally celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the Emerald Isle. Unless you’ve already put something into the works, or you have no financial constraints whatsoever, that’s probably not going to happen. Such is the price we pay for procrastination.

Here in Germany, Fasching has come and gone, although you can still
catch a “Laetare” carnival, those that occur the weekend of the fourth
Sunday of Lent (March 22 in 2009) in neighboring Belgium. So you may be
wondering what on earth could brighten your spirits in the days to
come. Well, those in the Heidelberg-Mannheim area can rejoice in the
fact that the first of the spring fests is kicking off this weekend.
The delightful little Bergstrasse town of Schreisheim hosts its annual
Mathaise-Markt, which runs March 6-13. While you’re on the Bergstrasse,